James Harden is cruising toward the first MVP honor of his NBA career, and Houston Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni has a simple reason for the superstar’s dominance.
“It’s impossible to guard him. It’s impossible.”
D’Antoni shared that praise following Houston’s 115-111 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday, per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.
The second-year coach called Harden the “best offensive player I’ve ever seen” because the southpaw has excellent vision and a versatile arsenal of shot-making ability. Most notably, D’Antoni pointed out the step-back three as what separates Harden.
Last season, he finished second in MVP voting behind Russell Westbrook, who averaged a triple-double while carrying the Oklahoma City Thunder to the playoffs himself. But in 2017-18, it’s clear Harden will be walking away with the coveted award.
He leads the league with 31.2 points per game on 45.2 percent shooting and has also provided 8.7 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 1.8 steals on average. The Rockets hold the best record in the NBA.
And that’s all thanks to Harden, the player impossible to guard.